Apologizing Isn't Apologizing Unless You Can Hear It
by munchkineater
Summary: "You never did any wrong in my eyes," he whispered to her still-breathing body. "You were only misguided. The fault was not yours for loving; the fault was mine for not being able to understand." One-shot challenge for DarkClan! R&R&E (the E stands for Enjoy!


**Hey guys! This one-shot is based on the theme 'A friend of yours is a friend of mine.' It's just a little tidbit I felt like writing, so enjoy!  
~Munchie**

"Jaypaw! Jaypaw wake up!" an excited voice squeaked in Jaypaw's ear. The black tom groaned, rolling onto his side. "Come on Jaypaw, there's a rogue outside who wants to join the clan!"

The black tom shot up, eyes wide, no trace of sleep left. "There's a rogue in the camp?"

"Mrrow. I knew that would get you up!" the small form of Jaypaw's sister, Frostpaw, meowed. The silver-white she-cat sprinted out of the den, Jaypaw following closely behind her. "You missed his ceremony by the way. His name is-"

"Blackpaw," a dark gray tom cut in, halting Frostpaw and Jaypaw. "My name is Blackpaw."

Jaypaw looked the former rogue up and down, scrutinizing every hair on his pelt. The tom shuffled his feet with nerves.

"What, are you trying to find a fault in me?" he meowed in all severity. "'Cause you're not going to find one!"

Frostpaw mrrowed along with him, somehow finding his arrogance laughable.

"Um... okay," Jaypaw mewed, not quite sure how to respond to the apprentice's snobbishness. "I think I'll go find my mentor." Jaypaw trotted away, glad to be gone with Blackpaw. He opened his jaws to see if he could scent his mentor, Mallowfur. He quickly found the timid warrior, eating a mouse with his mate, Heatherpelt.

* * *

{Later that day}

"So what do you think about Blackpaw?" Frostpaw asked, after Jaypaw returned from his battle training. Jaypaw wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"He's okay I guess, but you can definitely tell he's a rogue."

"Was a rogue, Jaypaw," Frostpaw corrected. "He's one of us now."

"Just because he shares tongues with us and has names like ours does not mean he is one of us," Jaypaw snarled, overcome by a brief spell of anger.

Frostpaw flinched, stunned by her calm brother's outburst. "Okay, okay, sorry... I just think he's funny and pretty nice..."

Jaypaw exhaled heavily, putting his face on his paws for a long moment. He lifted his head slowly, looking exhausted. "Right. Sorry. A friend of yours is a friend of mine."

Frostpaw licked his ear softly. "I'm sure you'll like him if you talk to him a little more. And what did you mean by you can tell he's a rogue?"

"He's... well to me, he came across as arrogant and a little snobby. The way he assumed I couldn't find a fault in him. I can assure you, he had faults."

"Jaypaw, calm down. Not every cat is perfect. And I thought he was joking when he said that," Frostpaw commented. "First impressions aren't always the best impressions, you know."

"I'll try and give him a second chance, I guess."

Speaking of the devil, Blackpaw barged into the den at just that moment. "Hey guys! You'll never guess what I did today!" Blackpaw announced, a smug look creeping onto his face.

"What did you do?" Frostpaw eagerly asked, eyes trained on the dark gray apprentice. She seemed to have forgotten all about Jaypaw's caution of Blackpaw.

"I broke the warrior code," Blackpaw meowed, chin tilted up in pride. Jaypaw and Frostpaw gasped simultaneously.

"Why... why would you do that?" Jaypaw stammered, to angry to speak.

"How did you do that?" Frostpaw asked, gaping at the arrogant former rogue. But unlike her brother, she was staring in admiration.

"I caught a mouse on ShadowClan territory, and then I ate it," Blackpaw reported. Jaypaw stood and left, not able to be in the traitor's presence.

* * *

{4 moons later}

"Frostwing..." Jayflight called, looking straight at the slender white she-cat. She turned, acknowledging that she had heard her brother's call.

"Yes, Jayflight," she stiffly answered. Her voice was cold, devoid of the warmth that used to always be present when she spoke to her family.

"Listen, I know things have been tense between us recently, and I know you're annoyed at me for criticizing your choice of mate, but-"

"Annoyed? I'm not just annoyed, Jayflight, I am furious. You think I can't choose for myself because I'm your sister and you have to protect me! So what? I like Blackfur. Deal with it. Why can't you just talk to him and stop dwelling on your first impression of him?" Frostwing exploded. Not a sound escaped the DarkClan camp after her outburst.

Jayflight finally broke the silence. "Because Blackfur is bad news. Why can't you see that?"

"And why can't you see past your huge ego and realize cats who aren't clanborn can be good too!"

"I respect rogues and loners, Frostwing. But not him. You know a friend of yours isn't always a friend of mine."

"I'm expecting his kits," Frostwing blatantly stated. Her voice was dead, empty of all emotion. The flare of anger had disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Jayflight glared at his sister, the sister who he used to know so well. "Well I can't say I'm happy for you."

* * *

{Many seasons later}

"Jayflight..." a frail voice called, coming from a small, skinny white figure. The old cat's fur was matted with age, although one could see she used to be beautiful.

The sleek black tom her eyes were trained on gave no response, just continued to stare out into thin air. Jayflight closed his eyes in defeat, exhaling loudly.

"I'm... I'm sorry for all the wrong I've done you." Jayflight still gave no acknowledgement that he'd heard what the white she-cat said. "I should've realized Blackfur was evil when you told me, but I was blinded by love. And I abandoned you. I should've apologized when I discovered Blackfur training my kits with unsheathed claws. I should've apologized when he stood over the dead body of first Hailkit, then Whitekit, and then Snowpaw. I should've listened to you. But I didn't, and what's done is done." The black tom remained silent as ever, and the white she-cat sighed.

"It seems awfully cowardly of me to first say sorry when you're deaf. But despite how craven this action is of me, it's still an apology. And I hope when we both die, you'll be able to speak and forgive me." Jayflight opened his eyes, and stood from his nest, leaving his old body behind. He padded over to where the ancient she-cat lay, still staring at his dead form with glazed eyes, and licked her ears.

"You never did any wrong in my eyes, Frostwing," he whispered to her still-breathing body. "You were only misguided. The fault was not yours for loving; the fault was mine for not being able to understand."

**And there you have it! If you didn't understand that last bit, Jayflight died, and forgave Frostwing in his StarClan form. Hope y'all enjoyed! A review would be nice, but if you don't review, that's fine too :) Keep your pens at the ready!  
~Munchie**


End file.
